Few upset by ice-truck lack

Press, 29 March 1979, Page 1

Few upset by ice-truck lack

Christchurch consumers have not been seriously affected by a strike by the drivers of long-haul refrigerated trucks because local manufacturing companies are coping with supplies of frozen foods.

The drivers, employed by Refrigerated Freight Lines; Modern Freighters, of Levin; Otways, of Auckland; Hilton Haulage, of Timaru; and companies in Dunedin and Nelson, are on strike until at least Monday in support of a claim for extra annual leave as compensation for their “unsocial” working hours.

The organiser of the Canterbury Drivers’ Union (Mr L. Burns) said there should not be any shortages of frozen food in

Christchurch if customers did not start “panic-buy-ing." The main supplier in Christchurch of frozen food is General Foods, which markets frozen chickens, vegetables, icecream, and other goods.

The strike will stop normal supplies of Walls icecream from the North Island, Wards ice-cream from Timaru, and lines of yoghurt and cheese from Dunedin and the North Island.

The strike does not affect local distribution from local factories because the drivers of these trucks are van salesmen and are members of a different union. Some other distributors engage ownerdrivers, who also are not affected by the dispute.